Bruised Hearts
by sunshynedarling
Summary: He didn't think anyone would notice the secrets weighing on his shoulders, or try to find out what they were. Stiles/Derek & Stiles/Danny.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! This story is mainly AU, loosely following the show's timeline. It has Derek/Stiles as well as Danny/Stiles. **

**Disclaimer : I own nothing from Teen Wolf.**

A hiss of pain escaped the boy's lips as he gently examined the growing black eye with his fingers. Stiles was thankful his dad got called in to investigate a drunk driver's crash, as it had saved him from more bruises that he wouldn't be able to explain.

A sudden knock on his bedroom window brought Stiles crashing back to reality. He took his time gathering himself, not caring that it would aggravate his best friend. Once he was sure no evidence of tears lingered on his face and his voice wouldn't betray him, Stiles opened the window.

"What the hell, man?" Scott exclaimed, getting more frustrated when Stiles only offered him a shrugged "sorry" in response. Scott landed on Stiles' floor with a soft thud, sighing.

"You forgot," Scott stated.

"Forgot what?" Stiles asked, racking his brain. He had already done his homework, called Danny to confirm some of the lab results and planned to meet with the taller boy the next day after school.

"To pick me up!" Scott didn't understand why he had to bike all the way over here to remind his friend after waiting for two hours, especially when he had called at least twenty times with no answer.

Stiles smacked his forehead, remembering the last minute agreement they had made.

"Sorry dude. Lab work took way longer than I thought and it just slipped my mind." Stiles berated himself, not wanting to drive Scott to _that_ house anymore.

"It's cool," Scott grinned, lightly punching Stiles' shoulder. "C'mon, we better hurry. You know he's gonna be pissed now."

"When isn't he?" Stiles grumbled as he followed his friend out of the house, grabbing his keys.

The drive into the woods was silent, neither boy looking forward to the hell they were certain they were travelling towards. As the engine of his Jeep died, Stiles wondered why he had agreed to drive Scott here in the first place. It had been a spur of the moment request from his best friend and there had been no hesitation in his answer. It bothered him that he didn't know why.

Scott had already begun to make his way to the blackened porch, looking back with a jerk of his head to Stiles. Following the silent instructions, he swung out of the blue haven and let his feet carry him to the falling apart house.

"You're late." The cold words made both boys jump in surprise.

"Sorry man," Scott tried to shrug it off. "Stiles forgot to pick me up. No big."

"For two hours?" The surprised tone made Stiles glance up into those green eyes.

"I just got caught up in some schoolwork," Stiles mumbled, focusing his gaze on the charred wood of the house. He prayed his heart wouldn't betray him, as the statement was partially true.

"What happened to your eye?" Derek asked, momentarily disregarding the increase of speed he had heard in the younger boy's heartbeat.

"I got elbowed in practice," Stiles said, really wishing he hadn't come.

"Stiles, we didn't have-" Scott started to say with a confused look on his face.

"Aren't you two supposed to be training or something?" Stiles cut him off, trying to shift the focus off of himself.

Both wolves gave him an odd look, but Stiles didn't care. He was silently freaking out that Derek Hale of all people had been the first to notice what nobody else had. A soft sigh barely escaping his lips, Derek started sparring with Scott in the clearing before the house, letting Stiles win this time. He could feel the happiness emanating from Stiles as Scott tried for all his worth to even land a single blow on Derek.

"You can't just bumble around and flail your arms Scott!" Derek said, amused at the fighting style of the young wolf. "You have to always know where your opponent is. Guessing will only get you killed."

"You just move too damn fast!" Scott panted, throwing a wild punch where Derek had been not ten seconds ago. A frustrated noise strangling itself from his throat, Scott leapt at where he thought Derek was and grumbled when his body met that of a tree. It didn't help his mood that his best friend and his so-called mentor were laughing their heads off at his expense.

"Scott," Derek laughed, "I think we're done for the night."

"Yeah, you totally got taken out by a tree. Gotta walk away while you still have some dignity left," Stiles smiled, trying his hardest not to laugh his head off.

Throwing his hands up in defeat, Scott broke a grin. It was times like this that he thought being bitten by the Alpha wasn't such a horrible thing, that he remembered he wasn't just a monster. Looking down at his phone Scott silently cursed.

"Stiles, we gotta hurry. My mom gets back from her shift in like fifteen minutes!" Scott said, rushing to the Jeep. "Oh my god, she's gonna kill me if I'm not home..."

Stiles smiled, starting to head back to his car. He hoped his dad was still out, busy with work. He didn't want a continuation of the earlier encounter.

"Stiles," Derek called out, hoping he wasn't going to regret this. He saw the boy stop and turn, heard the heartbeat steadily increasing in pace.

"Y-yeah?" he stuttered, walking back over to the older wolf. He was confused by the war of emotions he could see in Derek's eyes. Was he the cause of that?

"Nothing," Derek sighed, his head winning the battle over his heart. He felt a foreign pain in his chest as Stiles' expression fell slightly and he saw tears starting to brim in those big brown eyes. He turned, walking back into his house. He couldn't confront the boy. Not when he wasn't sure why he cared so much for the annoying kid.

Stiles stood there for a minute, trying to get a hold on all the emotions flooding his system. When he slipped into the Jeep and felt the engine roar to life under him, Scott shot him a questioning look that was ignored.

"I'm fine," he muttered, not sure who he was trying to convince anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**I want to thank all of you lovely people who have reviewed so far & added the story to your favorites, it means a lot. :)**

Stiles tightened his grip on the strap of his backpack, trying to avoid meeting any eyes in the hallway. He just wanted to get to the locker room. If he made it there he was safe from questions, from teachers yelling at him because he wasn't paying attention, safe from having to think about those damn green eyes.

"Stiles, wait!" A voice called out over the crowded funnel, but the boy didn't notice it. Since when did Derek care if he had bruises? Why didn't he say anything when Scott was in the car? Why did he care so much that Derek hadn't said anything, gave him the room to continue living with his secrets?

"Stiles!"

Why did Derek notice but not Scott? Stiles scoffed at the thought of his best friend actually paying attention to him when it regarded anything except werewolves. Which he totally understood; it wasn't like he hadn't thrown away his nonexistent social life to immerse himself into understanding a world that attempts to kill him on a daily basis. He thought that his best friend of countless years would have noticed the way the he got steadily more black and blue the closer it got to the anniversary of his mother's death. How he never wanted to go home, always uncertain of which father he would get to deal with; the one that hit him to get out his anger and grief, or the one who wouldn't talk to his son because his throat was choked with sorrow. Rubbing a hand absentmindedly over his hair, Stiles tried to think about something else. Something normal.

"STILES!" He jumped at that, eyes darting around frantically. He relaxed when he saw that Danny was a few feet in front of him, a large smile breaking out over the taller boy's face. Trying to remember when all the other students had disappeared, a slight smile tugged its way onto his lips.

"Hey," he breathed as Danny closed the distance between them and they started walking the rest of the way to the locker room.

"What's up? I called your name for like ten minutes!" Danny asked, trying not to seem too concerned. It was hard not to when he saw the smile falter and Stiles stand up slightly straighter and he saw the knuckles were almost white from how hard he was clutching the strap of his backpack.

"I just.. was thinking about stuff," Stiles offered lamely, hoping Danny wouldn't bug him about it. He was relieved to know that the other couldn't hear his heart skip a beat, the small fact giving him a sense of security. He was startled when Danny stopped walking and grabbed his wrist, turning the smaller boy towards him although he wouldn't meet the other's eyes.

"What's wrong?" The question was barely more than a whisper, the feeling of his fingers on Stiles' skin sending electric shocks up both their arms. Looking at Stiles, Danny felt his heart break slightly as he saw the fading bruise around the left eye and a few smaller bruises that had almost all gone away on various parts of his face. How hadn't he seen any of those before?

"N-nothing's wrong." Stiles lied, feeling his cheeks flare up. The tears he didn't want to shed were welling up and he knew Danny could tell he was lying. It wasn't like he was doing a stellar job at it. He complied when he felt Danny's fingers gently under his chin, making their eyes meet. Chocolate brown on deep brown.

"Stiles, _please_," He hated that he was almost begging. His fingers barely grazed the discolored skin around the eye. "Who did this to you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Stiles murmured as a stray tear found it's way onto his cheek, closing his eyes. He kept himself from whimpering slightly as Danny's hand left his wrist but his eyes snapped open when he felt it on his face as the other boy wiped the tear away with his thumb.

"Don't lie to me, Stiles. I don't know what's going on or why but I care," Danny said, surprising himself. He did care about this boy, more than he probably should. A feeling started growing in his chest as Stiles tentatively slipped his hand from murdering the strap of his backpack and placed it on top of Danny's.

"I'm s-sorry," he whispered. His face felt like it was on fire where Danny's hand was, sending bolts of energy everywhere in his body. Their eyes were locked, saying what they couldn't put into words. A smile started to light up Stiles' face as Danny gently ran his thumb along the boy's cheek, his own smile growing in response. Before he could change his mind Danny rested his forehead on Stiles' and gently inhaled the clean smell. Stiles surprised them both when he tilted his head up, catching the pair of lips with his own. It was so fast, so quick that neither of them were certain it had happened.

Stiles didn't have to wonder if Danny found him attractive anymore when he felt the goalie's lips back on his, gently coaxing the other's into responding.

"We should get to practice," Stiles said against the eager lips, moaning softly when he felt a tongue flick against his own in answer.

"We really should," Danny answered after an eternity, laughing slightly as he pulled away from the younger boy. "But we do have that lab work to do after school."

Stiles felt like he could explode from happiness as Danny pulled him down the hallway to where they would be yelled at for being late and he would sit on the bench per usual and Danny would rescue the team from the replacement goalie that would have been playing in his absence. But today would be different because Stiles would admire the darker-skinned boy and they would share knowing glances with a new trust and friendship blossoming between them.


	3. Chapter 3

He wanted to die. Or crawl into a hole and never come out. Ever. Not only was the boy he had kissed earlier coming over, but the man of his dreams was hiding out in his bedroom. There was no way this was going to end well.

"And you can trace where the message came from?" Derek asked, making come back from his mind racing a million miles an hour.

"Well, no, I can't. But I know someone who can," he grinned, taking pride in the look of nervousness that overcame Derek's eyes for a split second.

"Who?"

"Danny."

"And who's Danny?"

"Uhm, he's a...friend. And he plays goalie on the lacrosse team. He's wicked good, too. Nothing ever gets past him when he's on the field." Stiles rambled a bit, trying not to reveal that they had kissed only hours prior. Or that he possibly had feelings for the taller boy, as he didn't want Derek to scare him away. The knowledge that Derek most likely would anyways shot through him, making him question why he wanted to keep the information from the wolf in the first place.

"I didn't know you had friends other than Scott," Derek sighed, looking around the boy's room. He hadn't failed to notice the dilation of the pupils, the slight increase of heartbeat or the way that Stiles was rambling like he did when he got nervous. If he had just confronted the boy the night before this Danny wouldn't be stirring a reaction out of Stiles. There would be no need for anyone else. The anger shot through him like a bullet, making him see red.

"Whoa, Derek. Why the hell are your eyes going blue? Oh god you're going wolf on me. You know what, I can call him and tell him not to come. I mean, if you're gonna kill me over this. You won't kill me will you?" Stiles panicked, utterly confused.

Quickly, the older wolf regained his humanity. It had scared him, the spike of jealousy. It should be him getting that reaction out of Stiles. Not some teenage lacrosse goalie. Giving Stiles a half-felt smile to reassure, he was surprised when that caused another freak-out.

"I'm gonna die. You're smiling and you _never_ smile so something bad is gonna happen. Why couldn't you just glare at me like normal and threaten to tear my throat out? That would be more than - WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Stiles yelped, feeling his back meet the inside of his bedroom door for the second time that night.

"Shut up," Derek growled, trying to quell the wolf inside of him.

"But-"

"Shut. Up."

"Dere-"

"What did I just say?"

"The doorbell."

"What?"

"Derek, he's here," Stiles said weakly, wishing that Derek would let go of him so he could breathe again.

"Oh,"

"Uh, Derek?"

"What?"

"I kinda need you to let me go now.." Stiles let out a sigh of relief when the wolf complied, yanking the door open and bounding down the stairs. He was thankful when Danny only nodded to Derek and the wolf kept silent by reading one of the many lycanthropy books he had strewn about the room. He was frustrated when Danny refused to help them trace the text at first and resigned himself to actually doing the class work they were meant to accomplish.

"Who is he, again?" Danny asked Stiles, wondering why the kid was so jumpy. He had been initially hurt that Stiles had another boy in his room but figured that it would help them actually get work done.

"Who, him?" Stiles silently cursed, wishing that Derek would go away. Maybe if he made Derek angry enough he would leave? "He's my cousin...Miguel."

"Stiles, is that _blood_ on his shirt?" Shit. He _really_ wanted Derek to leave. Or Danny to leave. Maybe both of them should leave? Stiles inwardly groaned. It was going to be a long night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Oh goodness, all of you lovely people keep making me blush. Thank you for the reviews! I don't want to spoil anything for anyone, although I love hearing what y'all think is coming next. :) Also, sorry the last chapter was so short! This one is more about the length of the first two. Enjoy!**

What Derek didn't understand was how Stiles' heartbeat could have been that erratic for the past hour, his body so twitchy and yet he managed to keep control of the situation enough for the other boy to get them the information they wanted. He wasn't happy about Stiles showing him off like candy, but it had been almost worth it to see the slight blush that had crept into the younger boy's cheeks.

"So, are we going or what?" Stiles impatiently tapped his fingers against his desk. He knew he was going to miss his first game and it killed him. But keeping Scott and the rest of Beacon Hills safe came first, his own needs and wants pushed to the side. It had hurt the boy's heart more when he lied to Danny about being late than when he had to his dad.

"No." Derek said, letting the word hang between them.

"What the hell do you mean?" the boy demanded, his eyes incredulous.

"I mean no. At least not right away. There are things we need to talk about." Derek's words came out as a growl, making both of them wince. "Now."

"And what could the great Derek Hale possibly want to talk to me about?" Stiles rolled his eyes, trying to get out of whatever conversation Derek had in mind. "Not that I'm of any concern to you, or Scott for that matter, unless you need something. How many times have I saved your asses in the past month? Do you even know how much it sucks being the goofy sidekick all the time? Taken for granted, left out because I'm not part of your little werewolf club, walked all over and ignored by everyone else?"

The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could think about what he was saying, the realizations hitting him like punches in the gut. Tears threatened to spill onto his flushed cheeks, his breath becoming ragged. He was even more surprised when Derek stood there speechless, a look of surprise and hurt etched on his features.

"If we're gonna figure out what the hell is going on with Scott's phone we need to leave. Now," Stiles stated. Grabbing his keys the boy let his aggression out on the stairs and the front door. He slowly climbed into the Jeep, vaguely registering when Derek opened the door and slid into the passenger's seat beside him.

"We still need to talk, Stiles," Derek sighed, turning his head out of the window.

"Fine," Stiles said sharply, trying to ignore the shiver working it's way up his spine as he pulled onto the road to the hospital. A strange silence fell over the two boys, as Derek wrestled with his heart and his head and Stiles tried to figure out how in the world he went from nobody seeming to like him in that way to kissing Danny and Derek's voice making his body react in very odd ways.

"What do you want to talk about anyways?" he asked, curiosity overtaking him.

"You," the older boy said after a moment.

"Oh. W-what about me?" Stiles asked, scared he already knew the answer.

"Like how you keep getting bruises. How you lied about them, why you lied about them. Stuff like that," Derek listed, thinking of all the things he actually wanted to talk about with the human. About how he knew that Stiles was lonely and just wanted someone to be there for him, to try to talk some sense into the damn loyalty he had towards a best friend that didn't notice anything was wrong, the urge to comfort and protect that overwhelmed him, about how Derek was falling in love with the annoying teenager.

"They're nothing, Derek. You've seen how clumsy I am, right?" Stiles laughed lightly, surprised that he had noticed before last night. He parked in front of the hospital with his heart swelling, struggling to remember the happiness he had felt with Danny earlier.

"But that black eye. That wasn't clumsiness. Someone hit you, and I want to know who," Derek's fingers lightly traced the bruise as Stiles turned to meet those green eyes.

"It was my dad," Stiles said quietly, dropping his gaze to the gear shift. He willed himself not to cry, but the combined relief and fear of telling someone who seemed to care overtook him. He was happy someone had noticed, but admitting it meant it was real. That it actually did happen to him every year.

"You're lying," Derek said angrily, not wanting to believe what he'd just heard.

"You would know if I was," Stiles laughed weakly.

"Stiles, I'm.." he searched for the right words to convey how he was feeling. "I'm sorry he hurt you."

Their eyes met again at that, brown on green. Stiles thought maybe he was sorry, that Derek really did care about him in some way. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way about the older wolf, that it was dangerous and stupid and that there was no way in hell Derek would want to kiss him. Hadn't he been kissing someone earlier? The memory managed to push through the haze of the boy's brain, presenting itself front and center.

"I kissed Danny," Stiles mumbled, not realizing he'd spoken aloud. He knew his mistake as soon Derek pulled back into his seat violently.

"Go," Derek's voice was cold. He couldn't believe it. He knew that there was something between the boys, neither had done very well at hiding their attraction. But he hadn't stopped to consider the possibility anything had come of it. It felt as though his heart had been ripped out of his chest, bloody and beating.

"Derek," Stiles pleaded, feeling desperate.

"Go!" The word was so sharp that Stiles practically fell from the Jeep upon opening the door. He glanced at Derek sitting cold and rigid with a broken expression before turning on his heel and walking into the hospital.


	5. Chapter 5

**I apologize, as this chapter is a bit on the short side again. I hope you darlings enjoy it!**

Derek ran through the dark woods, the events from the night before playing in his mind repeatedly. Fighting with Stiles. Saving the damn boy's life. Almost dying at his uncle's hand, again. Abandoning Stiles in the hospital with his uncle chasing after him. He convinced himself when he did it that he was just protecting the boy, getting the attention off of the human. But now he wasn't entirely sure of what his motives were.

He was still running for his life, from the one person that should have been a source of comfort and safety. Why had Peter killed his sister? Why did he want to kill Derek? And why did he know who Stiles was? As the questions swirled in his head, the older wolf almost missed seeing the blue Jeep parked in front of his house.

"Derek!" Stiles called, trying to get his attention. The small smile that had been coming over his features was quickly replaced with a look of terror as he found himself being slammed into the decrepit porch.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" Derek hissed, eyes flashing blue. "Do you want to die?"

"Well, no. But we need to talk and I don't even know what you're running from since your psycho uncle is starting to go after Allison," The words came out in a panicked rush, the brunette becoming steadily more convinced each second that he really was going to die.

"Oh," Derek said, sitting on the ground next to Stiles.

"I'm really sorry about your uncle, though," he said, sitting up. "Scott told me about how you'd go and visit him all the time."

"I just don't understand..." Derek's voice trailed off as he got a good look at Stiles in the moonlight. There was another black eye, worse than the last, forming on the kid's other eye. His eyes were watery and there were dark circles under them, making Derek think he had been crying. A lot. Moving his eyes down the boy's body, he caught glimpses of more discolored skin on the slender neck, littering the pale wrists.

"We'll get him, you know," Stiles smiled, trying to be reassuring. "He's got nothing on our wolfy pack."

"Stiles, we don't have a pack," Derek sighed, rolling his eyes slightly.

"Sure we do! I mean technically you and Scott both belong to the Alpha's pack. But you're the one that tells everyone what to do, Scott's the one that never does anything and I'm the one who saves your ungrateful asses," Stiles joked, a large grin spreading over his face. "I mean, you guys would've been dead weeks ago if it wasn't for me."

Derek was quiet for a minute, the truth of the boy's joke washing over him. They truly wouldn't have survived this long if the boy hadn't stayed and helped. Scott would have killed at least one person, or been killed early on. He could hear Stiles rambling about something, but didn't listen. How was it possible that the boy, on discovering the existence of werewolves hadn't run away? The kid was smart, he could have convinced his dad to leave town. Go anywhere but here. The loyalty he had for his friends was a dangerous trait.

"And I just wanna be there for you, okay?" Stiles mumbled, his cheeks on fire. He had avoided looking at Derek the entire time he spoke, scared of what the older boy's reaction would be.

"Wait, what?" Derek asked, confused. What the hell had he not listened to?

"You know what, it doesn't matter. You obviously don't feel the same way so-"

"Tell me what you just said. All of it," Derek cut him off, trying to keep control of his heartbeat.

"Oh, my god. You weren't even listening were you?" Stiles asked, hurt evident in his voice.

"I was thinking about other things. What did you say, Stiles?" the wolf asked again.

"No. God, how could I have been so stupid to think..." his voice trailed off as he stood up. Not looking back he made his way to the blue car, attempting to control the shaking of his hands. He had just poured his heart out to Derek and the guy couldn't even take him seriously enough to listen.

"Stiles, wait!" Derek pleaded, swinging off the porch. He knew his efforts were in vain when the vehicle rumbled to life and sped out of the woods as fast as it could. The waves of anger, betrayal and sadness coming from the younger boy rolled into him.

"I love you," he whispered, letting the words drift into the black night.


	6. Chapter 6

**I can't even begin to tell you all how much I blush reading the reviews. Y'all are seriously too sweet! Thank you. :) & I know I said the chapters would be getting long again, & they do after this one, but I apologize for the short length of this one in advance. Enjoy!**

"Scott, can I stay at your house tonight?" Stiles asked into the phone, driving on the road back into town.

"Of course," the young wolf said, hearing the obvious hurt in his best friend's voice.

"I'll be there in a few," he said as he threw the phone onto the seat next to him. His hands felt like they were going to fall off from how hard he was gripping the steering wheel. If he could just keep from crying until he wasn't on the road...

Scott paced around his room, trying to figure out why his friend would be so upset. He was relieved when the familiar sound of the Jeep in the driveway met his ears, and he raced down the stairs to throw open the door. He wasn't prepared for the sight that met his eyes, however. Stiles was in the driver's seat, sobbing silently. His hands were balled up, his eyes screwed shut. What the hell had happened?

Stiles opened his eyes after a few minutes, catching Scott's. He looked away quickly, getting out of the car as slowly as he could.

"Dude, what's up?" Scott asked softly, leading his oddly silent friend into the familiar house.

"I just can't be at home right now," Stiles sighed, falling onto the bed. Brown eyes tracing random patterns on the ceiling, he wondered how to tell Scott everything aching his heart when his friend didn't even know that he liked guys. Well, not all guys. Just two.

"Stiles..." Scott didn't like feeling helpless. He tried to figure out when Stiles had stopped talking his ear off. They used to know everything about each other. Well, Stiles knew everything about him still. But when hadn't he known everything about the other boy?

"I'm only saying this once, okay?" Stiles said, meeting the concerned eyes. "Danny and I kissed. Derek seems to care about me, but I told him how I felt and he couldn't even freaking listen to me. Now I'm pretty sure both of them hate me, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do."

Scott took a moment, processing the information. He had noticed a strange energy between the tall lacrosse player and his friend the past few weeks, but hadn't paid any attention to it. Since when did Stiles like Derek? More important than that, when the hell did Stiles start liking guys? And why hadn't he told Scott? Looking over at his friend, Scott saw he had fallen asleep. Shaking his head he pulled the other's shoes off and managed to get him somewhat under the covers.

Slipping in next to Stiles, he grabbed his friend's hand and held onto it.

"Night, Stiles," he murmured. Scott knew he would have to have a talk with Derek the next day. Even if he was scary, nobody could hurt his best friend like this and get away with it. Planning what he would say, Scott let himself be taken over by the blackness of sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**I'm glad you all enjoyed the last chapter so much, even though it was quite short. I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I loved writing it! **

The first thing that Stiles realized was that he wasn't alone. Blinking his eyes open, he saw Scott sprawled over the bed. With a small smile, the boy got up. The memory of the previous night crashed into him and he fought back a second round of tears. Suddenly he felt his best friend's arms around him and he let it all out. The tears he hadn't shed when his dad would hit him and then apologize, promising never to do it again. The tears of shame when he realized that he liked boys too, the paralyzing fear that came with it. The tears of fear when Scott had tried to kill him over and over again, the tears from his heart breaking into a million pieces last night.

They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity, Stiles glad his friend wasn't asking questions. Finally they broke apart, smiling at each other.

"Thanks for letting me crash," Stiles said, sitting on the bed to put his shoes back on.

"You know you can come over anytime," Scott replied, a plan forming in his mind.

"D'you want a ride to school?"

"Nah, I'll be there later," Derek was going to kill him. Hell, Stiles would probably kill him if he knew what Scott was planning to do.

Stiles smiled at his friend, letting himself out. The ride home went by quickly and he ran upstairs to pull on a different tee shirt and a long sleeve plaid shirt. Grabbing his backpack as he glimpsed the time on his watch Stiles silently cursed as he hurried out to his car. He tried to calm himself as he approached the school, hoping he could keep it together through the whole day. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he missed Danny's wave to him. Sighing, the boy jogged until he was next to Stiles.

"Hey," he smiled, slightly enjoying the start the other boy gave. When Stiles turned towards him, he let his eyes travel the bruised and puffy face and he knew something was wrong.

"Hey yourself," Stiles gave a small smile, running a hand over his hair. His stomach flipped and he wondered how he could still feel this way after what he'd just been through.

"Wanna skip chem?" Danny asked, entirely serious. He wanted to talk and protect the younger boy, make everything that pained him disappear.

"Yes!" he said, excited. "I, uh, I mean that'd be cool."

"You are ridiculous," the taller boy laughed, grabbing Stiles' hand and leading him out of the school. They walked together to the lacrosse field, neither saying a word. When they reached the middle Stiles promptly sat down, looking up at Danny expectantly.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he asked, deciding that he wouldn't press the boy. He wanted to be trusted enough for the words to come out anyways.

"I just don't know what's going on anymore, Danny," Stiles admitted, laying down on the grass. He was happy when the older boy followed suit, hesitantly connecting their hands.

"I mean, I know what's going on. But I don't know how any of it happened. There's this, whatever this is. I like this. A lot. But there's this other boy and I think I told him I love him last night and he wasn't even listening. So I stayed over at Scott's and I don't get how I can feel utterly heartbroken and giddy at the same time," he trailed off, trying to figure out how it could happen. How Derek could have broken his heart so thoroughly and yet he could lay here with Danny and feel indescribably happy.

Danny thought carefully about what to say next. He didn't know what he had expected, but it wasn't this. He was glad that Stiles trusted him enough to tell him everything, and part of him didn't care that Stiles liked someone else. But he knew if he said the wrong thing he would lose the chance in front of him. Entwining his fingers with Stiles', Danny let himself enjoy the sensations that sent a shiver down his spine. There was no way he was letting this kid get away from him.

"You know what, just forget I said anything," Stiles groaned, discouraged by the silence. He screwed his eyes shut, not noticing when Danny propped himself up on an elbow.

"Stiles?" Danny said, licking his lips slightly.

"Yeah?"

"Shut up," He couldn't hold out anymore. Softly connecting their lips, he felt Stiles stiffen at first. Holding back a grin as the smaller boy slowly melted into the kiss, feeling a hand graze the side of his face. Danny pulled back, opening his eyes to meet Stiles' large chocolate ones.

"I care about you, Stiles." the goalie said, laying back down. "I care about you a lot. And I'm sorry that your heart hurts. I wish it didn't, that I could make the pain go away. If you want me to, I'd love the chance to make you happy."

He knew he'd said something right when he felt Stiles leaning over him, connecting their mouths once more. A slight moan grew in his throat when he felt the other's tongue tracing the shape of his lips, and finally granted him access. Neither of them knew how long they laid on the grass exploring each other's mouths. But when the need for oxygen became too much for them, Stiles rested his head on Danny's shoulder and grabbed his hand.

"I think I'd like that," he mumbled, a fierce blush creeping into his cheeks. For once Stiles didn't say anything. He was content to just enjoy the space around him and the boy who had made his way inside the bruised heart.


	8. Chapter 8

Scott tried to control his emotions as he made his way through the woods to Derek's house. He settled for crunching every leaf and twig he came across, making no effort to conceal his presence. As the broken structure came into view he could feel the lingering waves of anger and sadness from the night before hanging heavily in the air.

"Get out here," he growled, eyes flashing golden as he looked around the clearing.

"What do you want, Scott?" Derek asked, emerging from the doorway.

"Why did you do it?" Scott demanded as he felt the anger coursing through his veins again.

"Do what?" the older wolf smirked, only infuriating the boy further.

"Why the hell did you hurt Stiles?" The words came out as a low growl as he punched Derek square in the jaw, surprising both of them.

Scott instantly regretted it when he felt his back slam against a tree trunk, snarls falling from Derek's mouth.

"I don't want to fight you, Derek," he sighed, trying to get the older wolf to relax. "I just want to know why you felt the need to completely shatter his heart."

Derek relaxed his grip on the younger teen, taking shallow breaths.

"I didn't mean to," he whispered, letting the pain in his chest overwhelm his senses. He felt like he had broken both of them beyond repair. Stiles didn't deserve a monster like him.

"Then fix it," Scott snapped. "Before it's too late for either of you. Before Danny makes a move and you lose Stiles for good."

"He deserves someone like Danny, Scott." Derek was shaking, trying to convince himself he was telling the truth. "Not a monster, someone who will hurt him. He'd probably end up dead like everyone else I've ever cared about."

The stinging in his cheek was so sudden, he didn't comprehend where it came from. Scott was nursing his hand, eyes livid.

"You are unbelievable. I don't know why Stiles likes you. I think he should stay far away from you. But he does and you obviously like him too. So stop being such a dumbass about it all and go tell him how you feel!" Scott yelled at his mentor. "Because it will hurt more if you have to see him with someone else when you had the chance to be with him."

Derek staggered away from Scott, from the truth of the words. Wouldn't Stiles be safe with someone like Danny? Someone _human_. The pain of not being with him now was almost unbearable. Would he be able to handle seeing the boy happy with someone else? Would he be able to keep his wolf in check, be able to stop himself from killing the taller boy?

"Thank you," he said to Scott, running as fast as he could towards the school. He prayed Stiles would be happy to see him, that he could fix what had happened in the woods. Reaching the edge of the bare trees by the lacrosse field he stopped suddenly. He was too late. All too clearly he could see Stiles laying next to Danny, their hands together. Danny started laughing, making Stiles roll onto his stomach to grin mischievously at the boy. Derek swore his heart stopped beating when Danny closed the distance between their lips. He could feel and even taste how happy both boys were. Stiles didn't need him. That much was obvious.

He turned his back on the pair, willing his body to obey the order to go away. Run away, as fast as he could. Yet he couldn't move. He felt as though the air had been forced out of his body, the grief shaking his body almost as bad as that day six years ago. Letting out a ragged breath he allowed all of the horrible emotions to roll through him. Grief, sorrow, guilt, betrayal. That was enough for him to run into the trees, letting himself become the wolf. Derek didn't know how long he kept moving until he found himself outside of the boy's house. He hadn't noticed the shift from day to night, but was thankful the moon was nowhere to be seen.

Registering that Stiles' Jeep was the only vehicle in the driveway and there was only one heartbeat, Derek decided to take his chances. Thinking he should at least be courteous he gently pressed the doorbell.

Stiles thought he must have imagined it. Nobody ever rang their doorbell. Not since his mom. But that _ding-dong_ rang through the otherwise empty house again, rousing him from his bed. Opening the front door he was wholly unprepared for the sight that greeted him.

"Go away," Stiles said, anger rising in his body. What the hell did Derek think he was doing?

"No," Derek's eyes flashed and he pushed his way past the boy into the house.

"Derek, please g-go away," Stiles' voice cracked slightly, causing the older boy to face him. He saw the war of emotions overtaking the whole face, spreading beyond the green eyes.

"I need to tell you something. Now," Derek hated how gruff his voice sounded, bordering on desperate.

"Well?" the teenager asked when there was no follow-up, fiddling with the watch on his left wrist.

"I love you," Derek said for the second time in twenty-four hours, feeling the heat taking over his neck all the way into his cheeks.


	9. Chapter 9

**Seriously, y'all keep making me blush. Thank you a million times over for all the reviews, story alerts & favorites! I love seeing what you guys think is going to happen next. :)**

His mouth opened and closed at least twenty times in just as many seconds. The immensity of the spoken words, the implications and overwhelming knowledge that Derek loved him, truly actually loved him was too much for the boy. His breath got caught in his throat, his hands felt numb, his whole body was shaking.

"Stiles?" Derek asked gently, brows knit together in confusion and panic.

"C-c-can't b-breathe," Stiles managed to choke out. He slid to the floor, desperately trying to get a full breath into his lungs. The memory of laying with Danny in the lacrosse field that morning washed over him, the happiness allowing his heart to slow down enough for him to get a grip on his body. He didn't look up when he heard Derek sit on the ground next to him and tried not to react when he felt the older boy's hand on his own. He felt the anger rising in him again. Derek had no right to do this to him, to play with his heart.

"I thought I was losing you," the wolf sighed, relief evident in his voice.

"Why are you here, Derek?" Stiles tried to keep himself focused on being angry. He had Danny, warm and kind and wasn't going to kill him Danny. He didn't need Derek, he told himself.

"I needed to tell you," Derek said, failing at keeping his voice even. "Before it was too late."

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you broke my heart," Stiles said stiffly, jerking his hand out of Derek's. He shouldn't have been surprised when he heard the wolf stand up, making his way to the back door.

"Your dad's home," was all the explanation he received before Derek ran out of the house.

Slowly picking himself off the ground, Stiles cursed his luck. He barely felt the first punch to his stomach, only half-listening as the Sheriff started sobbing the same story he did every year. That it was Stiles' fault his mother was dead, that he looked too much like her. That he couldn't bear looking at his own son because it made him miss her too much. The slap to his cheek was a new tactic, the fingers clenched on his wrist forcing vessels to pop under the pressure.

"I'm sorry," Stiles said softly, looking his dad in the eyes. A part of his mind was screaming at himself to stop; why was he going to confront the broken man meant to protect him?

"Y-you're not the only one who misses her, you know. She was your wife but she was my m-mom. Do you think I like her being gone? It's not my fault. It's not your fault, either. Neither of us could have stopped it from happening. I've accepted that. Now it's your turn," Stiles left the stunned man in the living room, darting up the stairs. He wasn't surprised when he heard his dad push open the door of his bedroom, a stern expression on his face.

"You can find somewhere else to sleep tonight, Stiles," the man said to his son, eyes cold and hard. He left the boy with a shocked expression on his face, trying not to break down until he was alone in the house.

Hands trembling, Stiles pulled out his phone. He scrolled through the contacts without actually looking at them. Where could he stay? He didn't want to bother Scott again. Derek was definitely out of the question. He lingered on one name, hoping it wouldn't be too soon to ask such a favor.

"Hey, Danny? Can I crash at your house tonight?" Stiles asked nervously when the other boy answered on the first ring, relief breaking over him when there was no hesitation in the answer.

"Of course! I'll text you the address," Danny said, his thumbs flying over the keys the second they hung up. Within minutes, much too quickly for Stiles to have been driving the speed limit, he head the doorbell.

Danny wasn't prepared for Stiles barrelling into him the second he opened the door, but quickly wrapped his arms around the younger boy. He ran a hand over Stiles' head, feeling fists balling the fabric of his shirt and a wetness on his shoulder.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured, eventually feeling the boy relax in his arms.

"I think you're right," Stiles smiled. He let himself be led up a staircase and into a bedroom, complying with the tug onto the large bed. He instantly nuzzled his head into Danny's shoulder when the taller boy put his arms around him protectively, letting the feeling of being safe wash over him. A grin took over his face when he felt Danny's lips gently on his, silently reassuring him that he wasn't going anywhere.

Both boys exhausted from the day for different reasons, they fell asleep in each other's arms, happier than they had been on their own.


	10. Chapter 10

Danny woke to the sun beating onto his face through blinds he had forgotten to close. Registering a warm body next to him, he lifted his head up slightly with a smile. Stiles had ended up with his back to Danny's chest, their fingers haphazardly entwined. He marveled at how different the boy looked when he was sleeping. Laying his head back down on the pillow he let his mind wander to the possibility of waking up this way again in the future. It was a future he liked the look of very much.

Moving is hand to barely graze the length of Stiles' arm, Danny was rewarded with a soft hum from his sleeping companion.

"Morning," Stiles slurred, slowly blinking the sleep out of his eyes. He rolled over so he could meet Danny's eyes, shy smiles tugging on both sets of lips.

"Did you sleep well?" Danny asked, savoring the look of a tired and happy Stiles.

"Best sleep I've had in a long time," he answered, cheeks slowly turning pink. "Thanks for letting me stay over. I know we're like, just getting to know each other and everything. But it means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," the dark-skinned boy smiled, eyes catching the faint outline of a bruise on the cheek. His eyes darkened as he realized it hadn't been there the previous day. "Stiles, who keeps doing this to you?"

"I-it's my dad," he mumbled, eyes filling up with tears. "He just misses her so much. A-and it's my fault, sometimes. The closer it gets to that day, the more he does it. I tried to do something about it last n-night, but he kicked me out. Well, not actually kicked me out. Kinda forced me out for the night. So now I'm h-here and I like it here. With you. It's like warm and safe and happy."

Admitting it this time wasn't as scary as the first, although Stiles thought it was partially due to the knowledge that Danny wasn't going to try to kill his dad. He started to wonder if that was why he liked Danny so much. Because he was safe. There wouldn't be any vividly described threats of death, no being shoved up against doors unless it was because they were doing other things, he could pretend to just be a normal boy and not worry about werewolves.

"What day, Stiles?" Danny asked softly after not being able to figure it out. He had mostly avoided the kid before, finding him annoying and child-like, so he had no clue what could have happened to warrant the sadness and the pain clearly hanging on his shoulders.

"When my mom died," It came out as a sob, tears finally spilling onto his face. He missed her so much, just wanted to be in her arms again. Stiles was certain he would do anything, give up anything just for five minutes to see her smile and have her hold him again. Danny responded by pulling the boy closer to him, placing a light kiss on the pale forehead. He smiled when the forehead found it's way into the crook of his neck and let a hand come up to rest on the soft buzz cut.

"C-can we just skip school today?" Stiles asked the other boy, feeling the sudden heat in his cheeks.

"Only if we stay like this for awhile," Danny answered with a smile, overcome with the want to protect the hurting boy. He was thrilled that Stiles trusted him so much in such a short period of time, telling him things Danny was almost certain he hadn't told anyone else. Letting his mind wander to previous encounters they had during the school year he realized just how good Stiles was at hiding his pain. There was always a smile on his face, jokes tumbling out of his mouth like air. The jeans and long shirts and jackets the kid always wore hid more bruises that nobody else ever saw, Danny was certain of it. Even when they changed for lacrosse practice, he remembered that Stiles made sure to change out of sight of the rest of the team.

"Danny, can I ask you a question?" The small voice brought the goalie's thoughts back to the present.

"Sure," he said, wondering what the question would be. Hopefully not _that_ question he'd answered in a different way.

"Do you find me attractive?" Danny could feel the grin on Stiles' face as he asked it.

"Do you really have to ask anymore?"

Moving his head up to kiss Danny's cheek, Stiles smiled as he heard the other boy groan and quickly felt hungry lips on his own.


	11. Chapter 11

Stiles was convinced he wouldn't be able to move off of the bed ever again. His fingers traced patterns lightly on Danny's bare chest, both of the boy's faces stained red. A happy shiver rolled over his body when he felt the other boy's fingers lightly stroking the skin over his hip.

"Maybe we should eat breakfast," Stiles mumbled, hoping the taller boy wouldn't want to get up.

"I'm pretty sure it would be considered lunch time now," Danny laughed. "We can if you really want to."

"No!" Stiles silenced him quickly, cuddling impossibly closer into the boy's side. "Not just yet, anyways."

They passed the next few hours that way, finding different ways to position their bodies, talking about everything and nothing; but mostly just enjoying the proximity and comfort of each other. Just as the pair was about to drift off to sleep Stiles' phone started screaming, Danny's joining in not seconds later. They scrambled from the bed, each wondering who could be calling them.

"Shit," Stiles groaned, seeing the name 'Scott' flash on the screen. He pressed ignore, only to have the device start it's cry for attention again. "Who's calling you, Danny?"

"Jackson," the taller boy said, throwing his phone on the desk. Stiles quickly put the pieces together in his head. Both boys would have noticed that their best friends weren't at school that day, but only Scott would have been able to figure out the real reasons why. Unless he told Jackson? Or what if something had happened with the Alpha? What if Derek was in trouble?

He hadn't realized that he was slipping into another panic attack until he felt Danny's arms around him, tongue running over the marks on his pulse point. He melted into the boy, his knees starting to feel weak as his eyes fluttered closed and he regained control of his heart.

"We should call at least one of them," Stiles said quietly, hating that their private day was being intruded. But he knew that it would be worse if his best friend convinced himself that Danny and Stiles had been killed by the Alpha.

"Do you want to, or do you want me to?" Danny asked, breath hot on the pink ear.

"I-I'll call Scott," Stiles stuttered without moving, eyes still closed. He groaned in disapproval when he felt Danny moving away from him. Eyes set in a half-felt glare, he watched the boy get back under the covers.

"Only after you tell them we're alive," Danny patted the mattress next to him, missing the way Stiles' eyes widened in panic as his own closed. Did he know? No, there was no way Jackson would share the information on werewolves existing with Danny. Looking down at his phone, his thumb moved impossibly fast until he held the device up to an ear.

"Stiles?" Scott all but yelled, infuriated that he hadn't gotten an answer from his friend all day.

"Yeah, Scott?"

"WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?"

"Uhm, I'm at Danny's house," he said meekly, wondering if Derek was there with Scott, listening to the conversation.

"Wai-what the hell? I thought you and Dere-"

"There isn't any me and Derek!" Stiles said angrily, forgetting that he wasn't alone. "Okay? There isn't and there won't ever be. So he doesn't have to worry about the Alpha trying to use me against him anymore."

"Does that mean you and Danny are, you know?" Scott asked tentatively, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Yes," he answered forcefully, feeling his body start to shake from a tumble of emotions. He was with Danny, he liked Danny, Danny liked him. Danny hadn't ripped out his heart, wasn't going to try to murder him, wasn't going to hurt him the way Derek had.

"Did you sleep there?"

"Maybe. Why do you care?"

"Because your dad's been looking for you all freaking day, Stiles! He even tried having the school searched because he can't find you,"

"Oh," was all Stiles got out, collapsing onto the bed. He tried to gain control of his voice again. "Did he say anything to you?"

"Just that he wanted to find you," Scott answered, leaving out the moment when the Sheriff threatened to give him a good, hard lesson about respecting authority if Scott didn't tell him where his son was and swore he was locking Stiles in that house for good once he was found.

"P-please don't tell him where I am," Stiles pleaded, starting when he felt warm hands on his shoulders. "I can't go back there, Scott. Not for awhile. I can't tell you why, but please don't make me go back."

"Is he the one that gave you that black eye?" Scott was slowly putting it all together, mentally beating himself up for being such a horrible best friend.

"Just don't tell him anything," Stiles whispered, hanging up. He turned the phone off to avoid anymore unwanted phone calls. Burying himself in the covers, the boy tried to disappear from the world. He wanted to kick and kiss Danny at the same time when the boy positioned himself next to Stiles, one hand starting to gently massage the tension in his shoulders.

"Hey, Stiles?"

"Mhmm?"

"What the hell is an Alpha?" Danny wished he could take the words back when Stiles pulled away from him suddenly, the whole atmosphere changing around them.

"Nothing," Stiles said harshly, wanting to cry again. He couldn't tell Danny, wouldn't put him in that kind of danger. He was amazed that the taller boy wasn't running from him already, what with all of the emotional baggage Stiles had unloaded in the past few days. But telling him werewolves existed? That would surely break what they had.

"Stiles, don't lie to me. Not again," Danny pleaded, sitting up. "You can't just let me in to the parts of your life you deem worthy. I want you. All of you."

"It's nothing, Danny," Stiles wouldn't meet his eyes.

"Then leave," his voice almost broke as he forced the words out. He wanted nothing but for Stiles to stay. He didn't even care if Stiles didn't tell him, but he was hurt that Stiles obviously felt the need to keep lying about _something_.

"Where am I supposed to go?" Stiles asked weakly, wanting to believe he had imagined the words. He looked at Danny, trying to meet his eyes.

"I don't care," The words were cold and void of emotion. If he didn't know better, Stiles would have thought he was having this conversation with Derek. He wrapped his arms around himself as he stood up, silently pulling his clothes back on. He refused to look at the second person to shatter his heart in less than a week, slamming the door on his way out.

Getting into his car, Stiles felt numb. He had been naive to think Danny wouldn't hurt him, but he hadn't imagined it would physically pain him more than Derek had ever managed. Mind racing a million miles a minute, Stiles drove without thinking to the one person that would always be there for him. He drew a shaky breath as he killed the engine, thankful he had walked this path enough times when he was younger to not have to look at where he was going.

When he had reached his destination, Stiles just sat down. He rested his back on the tombstone, letting the tears fall silently from his eyes.

"Hey, mom," he breathed, leaning his head back and closing his eyes to the sky.


	12. Chapter 12

**I just want to thank you all again for so many reviews, alerts & favorites! I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)**

When Stiles woke up it was dark and his neck was killing him. Rolling out the kinks that had worked themselves into the muscle, he glanced up at the black sky wishing he could go back and undo the past week. It had been so much less complicated then.

Leaning back into the stone he took the phone out of his pocket, rolling it around in his hands. Curiosity getting the best of him he watched it power up, the screen flooding with alerts. He decided to tackle calls first, ignoring the ones from his dad. Scott, Derek, Danny and even Jackson had all called him countless times, although none had left voice messages. He had about fifty texts from Scott that he decided against opening, settling instead for the single one from the goalie. Within seconds he was dialing the number, hoping that the words on the screen were true.

"I'm sorry," Stiles said without giving the other boy room to talk. "I shouldn't have lied to you again. It's just, there are really dangerous things going on right now and I don't want to put you in danger. And its kind of a the less you know, the less danger you're in thing."

"You have nothing to apologize for!" the taller boy said, pacing in his room. "I shouldn't have kicked you out, especially with everything else going on. I feel horrible."

"It's okay, Danny," he assured the other boy, hating that he was hurting.

"Do you wanna stay here again tonight?" Danny asked after a moment, praying that the answer would be yes. He felt like a piece of him was missing after Stiles had left earlier in the day and wanted nothing more than to reunite their skin.

"As long as I don't get kicked out again," the boy joked, his heart going into overtime when he thought he glimpsed a pair of blue eyes across the cemetery. "I'll come over later, okay?"

"Text me when you're on the way."

"Sure," Stiles breathed, slipping the phone into his pocket. The blue eyes had definitely gotten closer in the short time.

"Stiles," Derek stated, appearing in front of him.

"Derek, it's so nice to meet you," he joked, standing up and crossing his arms. "Why are you following me? It's just a little bit on the creepy side."

"I'm not following you," the older wolf sighed, wondering the best way to break the information. "You kind of...called out to me."

"What the hell are you on about? There is no way I called you here of all places," Stiles felt suddenly defensive. He didn't want Derek to know about this place, the one refuge he had all to himself until now.

"In your mind. I heard your voice," Derek said, looking away from the anger he could see building in the boy again. "Your voice broke into my head, Stiles. Which means that for some reason you needed me here."

Stiles' mouth opened and closed rapidly, trying to remember if he head dreamed about anything.

"You were right, you know,"

"What are you talking about now?" Stiles narrowed his eyes, bewildered.

"What you said to Scott about my uncle wanting to use you against me," Derek said quietly. "He did then, and he will again. Given the opportunity."

"Even if I'm with...someone else?"

"Even if you're screwing Danny, yes," The wolf's eyes flashed blue at that, hating the fact that he had been able to smell it a mile away. He looked at Stiles when a whimper fell between them, the boy's eyes screwed shut and breathing shallow.

"I-I didn't screw him," Stiles managed to get out, hating how his heart was going through the all too familiar sensations of shattering inside. "We m-made-"

"Love?" Derek scoffed, unable to control himself. "You are sixteen year old kids. You have no concept of love, of the implications that word brings. The responsibility it bears."

"So what gave you the right to use it towards me?" Stiles wanted to know, remembering why he had ended up at Danny's house in the first place. "By your logic you shouldn't feel such responsibility for a kid."

Derek was taken aback, finding himself once more stunned with the accuracy of the statements. The kid could be so damn perceptive sometimes. He saw the confusion evident in those large brown eyes, and the slightest hint of want; it was all the permission he needed.

Pressing his lips to the smaller ones, he tried to be gentle and not consume the boy all at once. Stiles responded back feverishly, enjoying the intensity of it. The younger boy pulled away reluctantly, heart hammering in his ears.

"I can't do this, Derek," he mumbled, refusing to lock eyes. "Especially if it will make your psycho uncle hurt me to get to you. I can protect you just a little bit this way, right?"

"Yes, but-"

"Then it's done. I care enough about you to protect you the best I can." Stiles knew it was true, that staying away from the beta in that way would protect both of them slightly. But did he want the protection, the small sense of security? He wasn't sure.

"Can I walk you to your car?" Derek asked, telling himself the boy was right. That he was doing the right thing for everybody, again.

"Yeah," Stiles smiled, starting to walk towards the path. He squeaked when he felt Derek's hand in his, looking back with a confused expression.

"Don't push it," was all the response he got, and both boys smiled as they took advantage of the small moment together without the rest of the world tearing them apart.


	13. Chapter 13

"Hey, Derek?" Stiles asked, leaning his back against the Jeep, his heart going wild inside of him. He wanted to be entirely selfish right now, even though he had just promised both of them he wouldn't do anything like this. Surely one night wouldn't hurt anything?

"What's wrong?" the wolf asked, seeing how the boy was practically shaking. "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah I'm fine. I just need to tell you something," Stiles laughed softly, his cheeks starting to flare up. Taking a deep breath, he willed himself not to think about the future consequences of what he was about to do. "I-I love you too."

Derek looked at Stiles, barely noting that his heart was telling the truth. He felt as though part of him, most of him, would burst from happiness. Not only did he have feelings for the boy, but they were returned. It made his heart swell, but the feeling quickly died. There was no way they could do anything with what lay between them. He wouldn't, couldn't let himself put Stiles in that kind of danger; it was safer for both of them, hell for all of Beacon Hills if they stayed apart.

"I know," he said sadly, a small smile on his lips. "But it can't happen, Stiles. You just told me that."

Stiles felt guilty, knowing that Derek was right. But the need was getting to be too much and he decided words weren't the best path he could take. Standing as tall as he could he quickly captured the wolf's lips, hands resting lightly on hips. He tried for all his worth to get Derek's rigid frame to respond, tracing the outline of lips with his tongue, moving down to the other's neck, letting his hands wander up the ribs and slip into the soft hair.

"Stiles, stop," Derek said gently, using all of his willpower to remain completely still as he felt a hand going under his shirt.

"Why?" Stiles asked, marvelling at how the muscles felt under his fingertips, resting his head on Derek's shoulder.

"You should get back to Danny's house," Derek murmured, trying to avoid the question. "It's not safe out here, especially at night."

"What if I don't want to be safe?" Stiles asked, feeling one of Derek's hands lightly on his hip. "What if I want to be with you?"

"It's too dangerous," he said as his eyes flashed blue, quickly slamming the boy into the car, one hand holding the pale hands above his head, the other cupping the bright red cheek.

"I don't care," Stiles said, meeting the wolf's eyes with a determined look.

"I do," Derek made himself back away, stuffing his hands in the pocket of his jacket. "You have someone safe who will love you. Be with him."

Before Stiles could protest anymore, Derek was gone and he was alone again. Letting out a noise of frustration, he climbed into the car, texting Danny to let him know he was on the way. As he drove, the boy's head swirled with thoughts. He knew Derek was right, that Danny was the safe option. He didn't love Danny, Stiles could feel it in his gut. Not like the need he felt for everything Derek. But that had no bearing on the fact that he really liked the taller boy, and that they had done things that morning that Stiles had never done with another person.

Danny opened the door as soon as he heard the Jeep in his driveway, leading an oddly quiet Stiles up into his bedroom. He was surprised when the shorter boy hugged him fiercely, holding him close. Gently nuzzling Stiles' head with his own, he let his arms wrap around the boy.

"I'm s-sorry," Stiles mumbled into the cotton shirt, letting the feeling of being safe come over him. If only he could tell Danny everything like the other boy wanted, let him in all the way. Tell him about werewolves, about how many times he's almost been killed by his best friend, how was the reason Scott had been bitten; he just wanted to unload everything weighing on his mind.

"We'll talk about it in the morning, okay?" Danny said, pulling them onto the bed. He was surprised when Stiles kissed him hard, feeling an intensity that hadn't been there that morning. Responding back in kind, the taller boy let himself be pushed violently on the bed, sensing it was a bad time to talk.

Stiles thought if he could at least get some of the emotion out of his system, he would feel better. The best way he had come up with to do that was through sexual release. The sensations from kissing Derek earlier were still running through him and he was glad when Danny let him take control, was giddy when he realized the goalie was going to let himself be fucked properly. 


	14. Chapter 14

**I just want to thank all of you again, so much, from the bottom of my heart. I apologize for the shorter chapters again, but there are really long ones coming soon. :) **

It had been a week since Stiles stayed at Danny's house, and the boys refused to talk to each other. The night had gone horribly wrong when Stiles let the wrong name slip from his lips, letting Danny know that he had been used. He had made the boy leave again, but felt no guilt this time around. Not for a few days, at least.

The taller boy felt his heart break more every day when Stiles would come to school with more bruises that he couldn't be bothered to try to hide. He still hung around Scott, but there wasn't any of the laughter or jokes, just silence. It was like Stiles had stopped caring about anything, letting his defence mechanisms fall the the side. Danny tried not to be concerned when he noticed Stiles wasn't eating, or when the dark circles under the brown eyes he loved became a permanent addition. He felt Scott's eyes on him all the time now, making him wonder how much the other boy knew, if anything.

What surprised Danny the most was that even when Lydia, the girl of Stiles' dreams would try to talk to him, there was almost no response. The first time he had looked frightened, as though he was having a nightmare. After that, nothing, even when the strawberry-blonde had promised him they could kiss if he would only just have one conversation with her.

"Hey, Danny? Can I talk to you for a sec?" the goalie heard Scott's voice behind him as they were changing for lacrosse practice.

"What's up?" Danny asked, not wanting to meet Scott's accusing eyes.

"What happened that night?" the young wolf asked, his voice pleading. "Stiles won't tell me anything, god he won't even talk to me about anything now. I think he's been sleeping in his Jeep to avoid being at home."

Danny sat on the bench, eyes closing. He hadn't realized it was that bad. Looking up at Scott, he felt the threat of tears choking him.

"I didn't..." he began, voice shaking. "I don't know what happened between the phone call with you that morning, when I- but he called late that night. He apologized, when he had no reason to. I asked if he wanted to stay over again, knowing he didn't want to go home. Then we were, y'know, and he said 'Derek'."

Scott's head snapped up, eyes unbelieving.

"You kicked him out," he said, realization washing over him.

"I didn't know what else to do," Danny admitted, watching Scott sit down next to him. "I'd let him in, so much. And he tore it all down, Scott."

"Did you love him?" Scott asked, wondering when his breath had become ragged and shallow.

"I don't know," the boy sighed, closing his eyes. "I think so. He was lovable in a kind of annoying way."

"That's Stiles for you," the wolf laughed softly, wishing his best friend would be himself again. He surprised both boys when he gingerly put his hand on top of Danny's, their eyes meeting.

"Scott, what are you doing?" Danny asked, his heart pounding.

"Scott!" Stiles' voice echoed off the walls, the teen tripping over himself as he looked for his best friend. Danny stood up instantly, moving back towards his locker. "Scott, we have a big freaking problem-"

He stopped short when he saw Scott sitting with his head down and Danny pulling a shirt over his head, both faces tinged with red. Tears made his vision swim momentarily as the possibilities of what he had just walked in on flooded his mind.

"I-I should go," Stiles whispered, backing up quickly.

"Stiles, wait!" Scott pleaded, standing up and reaching a hand out to his friend, pain breaking through his chest when Stiles turn and ran back the way he had come.


	15. Chapter 15

Stiles ran as hard as he could, ducking into the woods without thinking. Danny and Scott. Scott and Danny. The moment he had tripped into wasn't leaving his mind, making it harder to breathe. He knew it was his fault, like so many other things. His fault his dad couldn't stop hitting him, although it had slowed down. His fault Derek was nowhere to be found, his fault nobody had seen the older wolf since that night in the cemetery. His fault Danny's heart was broken. His fault Scott was having trouble keeping his head in the game.

When he doubled over, wheezing, Stiles let out a bitter laugh. Of course he had run here on instinct, the place where everything had started. He stumbled until he was able to sit on the porch, laying down on the blackened wood. The boy wanted to cry, he really did. But he'd shed all of his tears the past few weeks; he couldn't make any more come out no matter how much he tried.

He watched the sky get painted dark, shifting every so often to stay comfortable. The house felt safe to him, safer than anywhere else had recently. Allowing his eyes to flutter closed and his breathing to deepen, Stiles didn't notice the dark figure emerging from the trees, blue eyes piercing through the darkness.

Derek took a shaky breath, only advancing when he was certain the boy was asleep. His heart swelled at the thought that Stiles had chosen to seek refuge at his house, _his_ house in an obvious time of pain. He sat next to the boy, running a hand gently over the pale skin, happily surprised when he heard the boy softly hum in response.

"Wake up," the wolf whispered, almost inaudible. He was pleased when Stiles responded instantly, eyes blinking sleep away.

"Derek?" he murmured, certain that he was imagining things. There was no way Derek was really there, sitting beside him with an adoring look in his green eyes.

"Can I lay with you?" Derek asked, wanting to do things right this time. He grinned when he felt Stiles pull him down on the porch, making sure their bodies fit perfectly together.

"I missed you," Stiles said softly, tracing patterns into the wolf's hand. "This week has been hell. Even without your psycho uncle killing everyone."

"Tell me what happened," Derek breathed, letting his eyes close. He heard the boy's start to beat erratically, spiking every so often.

"W-well, there is no me and Danny," he started, taking a deep breath. "After that night in the cemetery we were doing, things, and I said your name on accident. Which he didn't take to very well. So I got kicked out, lived outta my Jeep for awhile but decided I should go back home. Which has been alright. It was really bad at first, but I think we're starting to work things out."

"Stiles, I-"

"Hang on, who said I was done?"

Derek's breath caught, wondering how much more emotional pain the boy had endured while he'd been gone. He tightened his grip on Stiles' hand, letting the boy do what he needed to.

"Scott's been going crazy over Allison, predictably. I just, I don't know. Nothing seems to matter anymore. I mean, I stopped going to lacrosse practice, doing schoolwork, stuff like that. It's just like y-you were the only thing really keeping me grounded. And then I managed to go and m-mess that up too," Stiles stopped talking, not trusting his voice anymore.

"I shouldn't have left you," Derek said, guilt obvious in his voice. Stiles turned in his arms so he could look up at the wolf, brown eyes full of sorrow and happiness. "I wasn't there when you needed me."

"But you're here now, Derek," Stiles said, smiling slightly. "And that means so, so much."

Without thinking, the wolf leaned his head down, kissing the human. He tried to convey everything he couldn't find the words to say in that kiss, realizing that Stiles was home for him, what he had been searching for the past six years. Stiles pulled away, drowsiness drowning his mind.

"I love you, even if we don't have a wolfy pack," he said, stomach flipping when he felt Derek pick him up and carry him inside the house. Stiles landed on something soft, registering in the back of his mind that they were now laying in Derek's room, limbs tangled on the cushiest mattress he had ever felt.

"I love you too, Stiles," Derek smiled, feeling the buzz cut nuzzle against his neck. Sleep overtook the happy pair quickly, the feeling of hope hanging in the room.


	16. Chapter 16

**Hello darlings. I apologize for holding this chapter for so long... I'm actually tearing up, as this story is ending. But, I am working on a spinoff called "A Rocky Path" that stems from this one, focusing on Scott/Danny. It would mean the world to me if all of you lovely people took a look at it. :) **

"I don't think this is such a good idea," Stiles said quietly, cheeks burning. Derek was sitting in the Jeep with him, the vehicle staring at the Stilinski household.

"I'll be there the whole time," the wolf assured Stiles, squeezing his hand.

"Even if he tries to arrest you?"

"Especially so," Derek smiled. He heard the boy take a shaky breath, and they slipped out of the blue beast. Stiles threw his arms around Derek, quickly kissing him.

"Just in case I never get to see you again because you let yourself be caught," he mumbled, cut off by Derek's silent response.

"C'mon. The sooner you do this, the sooner it'll be over with," Derek smiled, pulling the boy up to the front door. He tried not to notice how Stiles' hands shook as he fit the key into the lock, pushing the door open.

"Where the hell have you been?" The pain in Stiles' cheek erupted so quickly, not giving him a chance to respond. The boy instinctively latched onto Derek's hand, causing the Sheriff's eyes to travel to the wolf.

"What the hell are _you_ doing here?" the man spat out, quickly aiming his gun at Derek's head.

"No!" Stiles said, stepping in between the two. "P-please don't hurt him, dad."

"Stiles, he tried to kill you."

"No, he didn't. And yo-you've killed more of me than he ever could," the boy finished quietly, not surprised when he felt a punch connect with his jaw.

"Shut up, boy," the older man growled, kicking his son in the shins. "You don't know anything."

What neither Stilinski was expecting was for Derek to punch the Sheriff, stepping protectively between the two. He felt his vision flash red, only Stiles' hands on his shoulders keeping him from ripping the man apart. He felt the bullet rip through his shoulder, face grimacing in pain that he knew would be gone before the day was over.

"I would never hurt Stiles," Derek said calmly, struggling not to heal himself. He didn't want to answer those questions just yet. "But you do, repeatedly. I understand the grief of losing a loved one, but abusing and pushing away what you still have is stupid and selfish."

"Don't you tell me how to raise my son, Hale," the statement lacking conviction. He knew the other man was right, he had spent countless nights sobbing into the early hours of the morning, wondering how he could hurt Stiles. Until it happened again, each time easier than the last. The Sheriff could remember the day it went from being an accident to the only way he knew to cope with the loss of his wife, despising himself for it, but never able to stop.

"Oh," floated from behind Derek, a thud reverberating through the house as Stiles fell to the floor. Whipping around, the wolf saw that the bullet had passed through him and lodged itself in the boy's shoulder; there was so much blood, too much blood. He dropped to his knees, gently pulling Stiles onto his lap. He was glad the other man was staying back, knew that the reality of what he had done was crashing into him and that he would never hurt Stiles again, but Derek wished that it hadn't taken something this big, even if it had been accidental.

"Hey, Stiles, stay with me," Derek whispered, pressing his hands on the wound. His heart soared when he saw a grin play on the boy's mouth, broke when a whimper pained the face.

"I-I'll call an ambulance," Sheriff Stilinski stuttered, shocked when Derek picked up his son and told him not to bother.

"I can get him there faster than any damn ambulance," the wolf said, running out the door. He ran as fast as he could, feeling the streets blurring around him.

"I didn't know you had super speed," Stiles mumbled, clutching Derek with all his might.

"Don't talk, Stiles," Derek said, slowing down as they neared the hospital. "I mean it this time."

Stiles started to reply, but lost himself to the dark before he could get it out. Derek's body was shaking as he let the emergency room doctors take his boy away, letting them wheel the body into hallways he couldn't go down. Hours passed before he allowed himself to sit down, but even then he couldn't stop moving. He dully noted that the Sheriff had sat down next to him, eyes puffy and red.

"I never meant to hurt him," The words were so soft Derek almost missed them. He turned to look at the broken man next to him, heart torn between rage and understanding. The wolf had done the same things to his house, allowing the cuts and bruises to accumulate on his own body. There were no doubts that in the first years he would have inflicted the pain on someone else, if there had been anyone left. But that didn't forgive the fact that this man, the one person who was supposed to protect Stiles from the world, had shown the boy some of the darkest places.

"I know," Derek sighed, eyes closing.

"Mr. Stilinski?" A young nurse came around the corner, a concerned expression on her face. Derek could hear the pounding of her heart, his own increasing in speed.

"Yes?" The man stood up, his voice catching in his throat.

"Your son is going to be fine," she smiled, taking a breath. "However, he has yet to wake up from surgery and is in a very fragile state. He lost quite a lot of blood tonight."

"I understand. When can I see him?"

The man cursed silently when his phone rang, and answered when he saw it was from the station. He listened for a few minutes, responding with a sharp "I'll be there as soon as I can". Derek growled when the man left without another word, watching the nurse walk away. He stood up slowly, sniffing to find the boy's scent. Silently following it, he came to a blank white door.

The wolf slipped inside quickly, not wanting anyone to ask questions. A gasp escaped from his lips as he took in the condition of the boy on the unforgiving bed. An IV was pumping into his right hand, the left shoulder tightly wrapped and packaged, a make-shift cast encasing the arm in a bend. There were bruises growing on the pale skin, Derek knew more existed than those he could initially see. The brown eyes he loved here closed, the frail chest barely moving. Only the blip from the machines seemed to convince him the boy was still alive.

Derek sat on the bed, gently taking the free hand in his own. He tried not to think about how cold the hand felt, instead focusing on the very slight spike he had heard in Stiles' heartbeat.

"Stiles, wake up," he whispered, gently kissing the hand, heart slowly starting to swell when he was rewarded with a twitch of the fingers. Lightly tracing his lips up the arm, Derek let his mouth feel the pulse under the skin, tongue swirling over the spot. He let his breath linger over the ear, closing his eyes. "Please wake up."

"D-derek," Stiles breathed, barely audible, eyes struggling to open.

"Hey there," Derek smiled, running his thumb over the boy's cheek.

"Where am I?"

"The hospital."

"Oh," Stiles said, frowning. "What happened?"

"Your dad shot me, and the bullet went into your shoulder through me."

"I remember...falling. And then we were going really fast. Then...nothing."

"You've been in surgery for hours, Stiles," Derek's voice shook, feeling himself start to break down again. "They had to remove the bullet from your shoulder. I was so scared I was going to lose you right after I'd found you."

"I'm right here, Derek," Stiles said, the tone of his voice making Derek look at him. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? Ever. I love you so much."

Derek smiled, leaning forward and gently kissing the boy, _his_ boy. He felt giddy when he could sense how much Stiles wanted more, opening his mouth slightly to let the eager tongue inside. They stayed like that for awhile, Stiles only pulling away when a thought struck him.

"Is my dad okay?" he asked, voice shaking.

"Yeah, he's fine. He got called into the station though, which is why he isn't here," Derek answered, maneuvering himself so they were laying together on the small bed with Stiles' head on his chest. "He's not going to hurt you again."

"I know," Stiles smiled, feeling Derek's hand on top of his head. The boy nuzzled into the warm chest, ignoring the screaming pain in his shoulder. He allowed sleep to overtake him again, knowing that he was going to be okay for the first time in a long time.

When Derek's eyes opened again, he realized it was daytime still. No, just the next day. Looking down at Stiles, the wolf felt the newly familiar warmth seep through his body. Gently pulling out from under the body, he sat beside the bed and held Stiles' hand before letting himself drift off again.

The days passed in the same pattern, different people coming to visit the human who had failed to wake up since that first night in the hospital. The Sheriff would come by in between shifts, finally dropping the charges against Derek when more people turned up dead and he knew for a fact the older teen hadn't left his son's bedside for more than a few minutes at a time. Scott and Danny came together frequently, doing homework in the hospital room, finding that the more time they spent with the other the more they smiled. Even Jackson and Lydia came, awkwardly dropping off flowers the first visit. Derek was surprised when Allison came on her own one day and sat with Stiles for hours, not moving or saying anything.

"Derek," Stiles muttered, hand clenching around the wolf's. He was awake immediately, silently freaking out when he saw that Stiles was still asleep. The boy's heartbeat was erratic, his face scrunched up in pain, back arching off of the bed. He reluctantly backed away as nurses ran into the room, shutting the curtain. After thirty minutes, although Derek would have sworn it was days, they walked out.

"D-derek?" Stiles asked, eyes open and alert, looking for his wolf.

"I'm right here," he said, instantly sitting on the bed. "How do you feel?"

"Weird," the boy said after a moment, the sensation of words rolling around in his mouth again surprising him.

"Do you remember what you were dreaming about?" Derek asked hesitantly, worried he might cause Stiles to go into a panic attack if he remembered.

"No," Stiles said, leaning back against the pillows. "How long was I out?"

"A couple weeks, I think," the wolf answered, seeing tiredness start to seep over the features again.

"Don't go anywhere, okay?" Stiles said suddenly, worry clouding his eyes. "I wanna wake up with you here."

"I'm not going anywhere," Derek said, kissing the boy slowly, letting their bodies do the speaking for them. Drawing apart slowly, he ran his thumb down the side of Stiles' face. "I'll always be here for you, Stiles."

Smiling as the blackness took him again, Stiles entwined his fingers with Derek's, knowing that they would be part of something amazing together forever.


End file.
